Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs macmon Network Access Control comparison

Cisco and macmon secure are both solutions in the Network Access Control (NAC) category. Cisco is ranked #2 with an average rating of 7.9, while macmon secure is ranked #13. Cisco holds a 21.7% mindshare in NAC, compared to macmon secure’s 2.7% mindshare. Additionally, 87% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of macmon secure users who would recommend it.

Cisco Identity Services Eng...

Read 145 Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) reviews

15,137 Views
9,839 Comparison Views

87% willing to recommend

macmon Network Access Control

Read 3 macmon Network Access Control reviews

1,259 Views
1,259 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Cisco Identity Services Eng...

macmon Network Access Control

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 5, 2024

Cisco Identity Services Engine and macmon Network Access Control are competing products in the network access control category. Cisco ISE seems to have the upper hand for its comprehensive feature set and robust security capabilities, while macmon Network Access Control is favored for straightforward deployment and integration.

Features: Cisco ISE provides granular visibility, centralized policy management, and integration with various security tools. It offers extensive scalability, making it a fit for enterprise clients with complex security requirements. Macmon Network Access Control is known for an intuitive interface, simple configuration, and is often suitable for smaller networks prioritizing ease of use. It balances user-friendly design with essential network control functions.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco ISE has a complex deployment model due to sophisticated capabilities, leading to longer setup times but is supported by comprehensive customer service and documentation. Macmon Network Access Control offers quick deployment and simple integration with responsive customer service, ensuring a smoother onboarding process and an expedited, simplified deployment experience.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco ISE often involves higher initial setup costs due to its extensive security features, offering high ROI for large-scale deployments needing comprehensive security. Macmon Network Access Control is a cost-effective option with a lower initial investment, appealing to businesses seeking efficient network control without a substantial financial outlay. While Cisco ISE may yield greater long-term value for larger organizations, macmon offers a cost-effective model for smaller businesses.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs. macmon Network Access Control Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs. macmon Network Access Control

February 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Identity Services Eng...

Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)

2nd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

145

Ranking in other categories

Cisco Security Portfolio (4th)

macmon Network Access Control

Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)

13th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Network Access Control (NAC) category, the mindshare of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) is 21.7%, down from 27.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of macmon Network Access Control is 2.7%, up from 2.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Access Control (NAC) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)	21.7%
macmon Network Access Control	2.7%
Other	75.6%

Network Access Control (NAC)

Featured Reviews

NicolasFigaro

Network and Technology Information Manager at Akkodis

Has improved authentication management and simplified visitor network access

The log capacity in Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could be enhanced because today natively on the ISE can only have a look at the logs from the day before. You cannot search into the oldest logs; you have to use another tool for that. This can be blocking if you don't have any log consolidation solution. To do a search for an issue or something that happened two days ago, you cannot search directly in there. The capacity of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could be enhanced. Something between one week and one month for the log capacity would be nice.

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Yusuf Oezeren

Senior System Engineer at MOD IT GmbH

A robust solution that provides protection to effectively control the access to your network

The single sign-on process can be improved and the interface should be made more user-friendly. The interface is user-friendly but, for example, when we have new people starting to work, they never work with NetOne and it is a bit hard to expand in certain places. In addition, when I have to pull the last corrected MAC address, I need to put the space between it in order to find the address. If I don't put it in there, I don't get any resources. This needs improvement. They should maybe add integration with LanSuite. We can include it to see the direct information we get from our LAN Tree. If I click on the MAC address, I will then directly get the hostname, and that will open a tap-in line so I see what the last update was.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"It is stable and easy to use."

"The biggest value of ISE is that it can get so granular with gaming systems, versus IoT and BYOD."

"The solution cuts down on the repercussions of getting malware or ransomware."

"The most valuable features are the ability to retrieve information about Active Directory user names, viewing the log files to see which MAC address tried to connect with the created SSIDs, portal designing for your company, hotspot tools, and creating network rules for WiFi access."

"The best features are the scalability and the license structure."

"In terms of scalability, you need to factor in your licenses. With a virtual platform, the scalability is more than sufficient. We have over one thousand users."

"I really enjoy the live log section. Sometimes, you will have someone who is having issues connecting to the network, and then you have to ask them the dreaded question of, "Did you type a password wrong?" They will probably tell you, "No," but the live log can help sort that out. It gives us that extra ability to assist the end user and make sure that we are making them happy."

"We have multiple metal devices from different places that use management, so we need to know who would be accessing all those devices and what changes are being done to those metal devices. With Cisco ISE we have visibility of all the changes happening on those devices."

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) pros

"We use it with our Cisco switches so we can see which switch it is actually connected to."

"The API is a great way to get information from other tools."

"The ease of connecting with the client is valuable for me."

Cons

"Some of ISE's features need to be more agile. For example, we couldn't integrate our data because Cisco needs your data to be in its own format."

"Cisco ISE could be simplified somewhat. I would also prefer certificate-based authentication over confirmation-based authentication for all the processes. It's possible for us to do a workaround, but the process needs to be simplified."

"There should be more visibility into TrustSec policy actions. When TrustSec blocks something or makes any kind of changes to the network, we don't always see that. We have to log into the switch itself, or we have to get some type of Syslog parsing to do that."

"The Guest Network verification needs to add a QR code option."

"The integrations with the switches and the wireless controllers are not really straightforward. There is what they call the best practice for them, but it may not be what we have on-premise."

"There are always some things that I would request."

"Automation [is an area for improvement]. It seems like everywhere I look, automation is super important. Automation and integrations. That's the area it could be improved..."

"The interface could be more user-friendly and the ability to apply rules to MAC addresses, for example, if I wanted to allow a certain MAC address access at a particular time I cannot make this adjustment."

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) cons

"The solution must allow users to filter files based on dates."

"The service macmon offers is already great."

"The single sign-on process can be improved and the interface should be made more user-friendly."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is fair for what it does."

"Cybersecurity resilience has been very important to our organization and has been a big factor. We've had issues in the past, but one of the things I like about ISE is its logging features. Security wise or information wise, it really has been a powerful tool."

"It is fair."

"Licensing is a disaster. It's a mess and I hope they fix it soon."

"Being fully honest, the Cisco licensing model right now is really confusing. We don't know what licenses we have where. We have Smart licensing, but the different levels are way confusing."

"The licensing is subscription-based and based on the user account."

"There are three levels of pricing: basic, plus, and apex. Basic satisfied our needs."

"The SMARTnet technical support is available at an additional cost."

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) pricing and cost advice

"The solution is not expensive."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Manufacturing Company

17%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Retailer

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	44
Midsize Enterprise	32
Large Enterprise	91

No data available

Questions from the Community

Which is better - Aruba Clearpass or Cisco ISE?

Aruba ClearPass is a Network Access Control tool that gives secure network access to multiple device types. You can adapt the policies to VPN access, wired, or wireless access. You can securely ...

See all answers

What are the main differences between Cisco ISE and Forescout Platform?

OK, so Cisco ISE uses 802.1X to secure switchports against unauthorized access. The drawback of this is that ISE cannot secure the port if a device does not support 802.1x. Cameras, badge readers, ...

See all answers

How does Cisco ISE compare with Fortinet FortiNAC?

Cisco ISE uses AI endpoint analytics to identify new devices based on their behavior. It will also notify you if someone plugs in with a device that is not allowed and will block it. The user exper...

See all answers

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Comparisons

Aruba ClearPass vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 25% of the time

Fortinet FortiNAC vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 19% of the time

Forescout Platform vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 7% of the time

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 3% of the time

Portnox vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 3% of the time

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) Competitors

Aruba ClearPass vs macmon Network Access Control

Compared 34% of the time

Fortinet FortiNAC vs macmon Network Access Control

Compared 16% of the time

Impulse Point SafeConnect vs macmon Network Access Control

Compared 6% of the time

Portnox vs macmon Network Access Control

Compared 6% of the time

Sophos Network Access Control vs macmon Network Access Control

Compared 5% of the time

More macmon Network Access Control Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

February 2026

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) report

Download Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) product report

Buyer's Guide

macmon Network Access Control

January 2026

Download macmon Network Access Control product report

Also Known As

Cisco ISE

macmon NAC

Overview

Cisco Identity Services Engine offers robust authentication, posture profiling, guest and secure access, and dynamic policy management. Known for its seamless integration with Cisco tools and network access control features, it ensures secure device and user authentication across networks.

Cisco Identity Services Engine is renowned for its capabilities in managing authentication, guest access, and policy management through segmentation. Its TrustSec functionality, alongside RADIUS and TACACS+ support, provides enhanced security, further augmented by its ability to operate in diverse environments. Its scalability and integration with Cisco solutions aid in maintaining network visibility and access control. Challenges include the complexity of initial deployments, somewhat cumbersome documentation, and limited integration in multi-vendor environments. While encountering issues in stability and updates, the demand for better analytics and straightforward troubleshooting alongside cost-effective licensing is notable.

What are the key features of Cisco Identity Services Engine?

Authentication: Secures user and device access to networks using robust authentication protocols.
Posture Profiling: Provides in-depth analysis of device compliance with security policies.
Guest Access Management: Allows controlled network access for guest users through streamlined processes.
Dynamic Policy Management: Enables automatic adjustment of security policies based on real-time data.
Segmentation via TrustSec: Enhances security levels by segmenting network traffic based on identity.

What benefits or ROI should users expect from Cisco Identity Services Engine?

Comprehensive Security: Ensures enforceable security policies across network access points.
Enhanced Integration: Facilitates seamless collaboration with existing Cisco infrastructures.
Improved Compliance: Helps meet industry security standards for network access and user rights.
Increased Visibility: Provides detailed insights into network traffic and user activities.
Device Management Efficiency: Streamlines the process of managing diverse devices within a single framework.

Industries implement Cisco Identity Services Engine primarily for network access control, ensuring secure authentication and segmentation in both wired and wireless environments. Supporting policies like bring-your-own-device and compliance standards, ISE manages identity-based access control, especially beneficial for entities that require detailed user rights management and integration within enterprise networks.

Cisco

With macmon Network Access Control you always know which devices are connected to your network and where. It provides profound protection for your corporate network and is a centralized security authority that protects your network against intrusion from unauthorized devices, and ensures the complete overview of all your devices.

UFOs (unknown frightening objects) are a thing of the past, as all your devices such as PCs, printers, laptops, medical and technical devices are identified at any time, efficiently monitored and protected against unauthorized access. Guest and employee devices (BYOD) can be easily and securely authorized via the macmon guest service using dynamic management of network segmentation.

To protect your network against unauthorized access, macmon provides two efficient product bundles as well as additional Add-Ons.

Find out more:
- macmon NAC Bundles
- macmon NAC features

macmon secure

Sample Customers

Aegean Motorway, BC Hydro, Beachbody, Bucks County Intermediate Unit , Cisco IT, Derby City Council, Global Banking Customer, Gobierno de Castilla-La Mancha, Houston Methodist, Linz AG, London Hydro, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Molina Healthcare, MST Systems, New South Wales Rural Fire Service, Reykjavik University, Wildau University

More than 1,500 installations in all over Europe in all industries: Stepchange, Volkswagen, Vivantes Healthcare, MBDA Weapons, APS engineering, Alfred Ritter GmbH (Ritter Sport), Haßberg-Kliniken, 1. FSV Mainz 05 eV., Siempelkamp, AEB etc.

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs. macmon Network Access Control

February 2026

Free Report: Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs. macmon Network Access Control

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs. macmon Network Access Control and other solutions. Updated: February 2026.

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